Five Ways
by LostinOblivion
Summary: This will be a series of stories of how our favorite couple gets engaged, sort of a personal challenge. Updated!
1. Not a Mistake

"Hey…you sure you don't want me to take you to the doctor?" Matt grimaced painfully as he watched his girlfriend, sitting on his bathroom floor, her head resting against the cold porcelain of the toilette, eyes closed against her misery. This is the same spot she'd been in since four o'clock, though she hadn't woken him; he woke an hour and a half later to the sounds of her painful retching.

Emily lamely rocked her head back and forth along the curved ridge of the toilet, to exhausted and sick to do anything else. She didn't want to go to the doctor, she wanted to stop vomiting long enough to fall asleep, even if it was on the hard tiled floor. Doctors can't do anything for the stomach virus anyway, even if it was the mega-bug from hell.

Matt knelt down beside her, putting his face close to hers, even though her breath was laced with digested food and stomach acid. She looked terrible. He checked his watch, noting that he still had forty-five minutes for the twenty-minute trip to work. He sat beside her, and pulled her close to him, letting his rest her head on his chest, a much more comfortable spot than the toilet.

It felt so good to be in his arms, Emily wished he didn't have to go to work. She was feeling very needy, not something she was accustomed to, though she tended to be a little emotional when she was sick, this was something else. She wanted to sit there with Matt forever, enjoying the comfort and security of his arms, but she couldn't he had work. Or at least, that was what she told herself before her eyes started fluttering shut, and sleep finally came to her again.

Matt sighed and stroked her hair, hoping she'd get a little respite from her illness, in a nice restful sleep. He kissed the top of her head, and slowly rose from the floor, maneuvering her into his arms. Thank god she didn't wake up, though that in itself was a testament to how sick she was. Onto the bed, he pulled the covers over her, placed her kiss on her cheek, and made sure her cell phone was in reach of the bed. He was about to leave when he had seconds thoughts, and grabbed the garbage can from the bathroom, and set it beside the bed, near her head, just in case.

* * *

He returned to his apartment later that evening to find Emily looking much better than when he'd left, at least as far as her complexion and energy level. She still looked very unhappy about something. He sat down next to her on the couch, handing her the small bouquet he'd gotten for her on his way home. 

Emily smiled at the flowers, and crawled closer to him, so she was practically in his lap, and rested her head against his chest, as she had that morning. She'd started feeling better in the early afternoon, and was struck with an epiphany, one that could change everything between them. Instead of announcing it right then, like she promised herself she would, she settled for cuddling next to him, in the last simple embrace they might have.

"How are you feeling?" Matt turned his head awkwardly to look at her, worrying that she still seemed so lethargic and, almost depressed.

"Better, thanks." She offered nothing else, and silently berated herself for being a coward.

"Really, you don't seem very happy about it?"

"I think I'm pregnant." Well, she hadn't exactly meant to blurt it out like that, but there it was.

Matt's eyes flew so wide open, he was afraid they'd pop out of his head, and he sat up straighter, staring at her. Emily leaned back from him, shock worn off long ago for her, and now replaced with sad resignation. She didn't want this, they weren't ready for it, but even without a test, she was pretty sure it was here.

"I…I…I…jesus, I don't know what to say. Have you taken one of those tests?" Tact wasn't something he was capable in his current state of shock.

She tossed a bag on the table. "Not yet, but I did go down the street earlier and get one." She got points for that, right?

"Uh, so maybe we should do that?" Man, he was having flashbacks to senior year with Mallory crying hysterically in her bedroom, while he sat by dumbly, without a clue.

"Us? You want to pee on the stick too?" Whether it was sarcasm or teasing, it didn't matter, it broken the sudden tension enough for both to smile, just a bit.

"Well, no. You know what I mean. I'll wait out here, while you…take care of that." He waved at the stick, not quite sure how to call that what it was, and not seem tactless.

Emily allowed herself to smirk at his awkwardness. "Right, I'll do that."

Less than five minutes later she was out of the bathroom, and they were both trying to ignore the test while they waited. And they waited, and waited some more, and kept waiting for had to be the longest five minutes of either of their lives.

"It's time." Matt struggled to swallow the lump in his throat. He loved Emily, and someday, maybe a baby would make them happy, but not today. He was more than happy with the way things were, and wanted them to stay that way for a while longer.

"Plus sign, I think that means pregnant." Emily said calmly.

"Oh yeah it does." He'd seen that once before.

"Okay…"

"So now we know…"

"Yep, now we know…"

"Well, that's good right…to know…?" It sounded pathetic even as he said it, and they both quickly decided silence was better. At least it was for a few minutes, then Emily just couldn't take it any longer.

"Oh my god Matt, what the hell do we do now?" Emily knew the only person farther from mother material than her, was her sister; Ally would screw a kid up a lot faster, and much more thoroughly that she ever could.

"Uh, pick out baby names?" He suggested dumbly. The last time he was faced with that question, his parents and her parents had much more control over the outcome than either of them had.

"Seriously, that's the best you've got?" She looked at him skeptically.

He shrugged, completely bewildered. "What's your suggestion?"

"I should call my doctor."

"Definitely. We have to tell Cheryl."

"You know, she might just kill us." Their supervisor was not going to be pleased that their dating thing got them into big trouble.

"She'll get over it…damn, she's going to give us new partners."

"Better than her killing us."

Matt suddenly grinned conspiratorially. "You know, there is nothing in the FBI rule book that says you can't have a baby with your partner."

Emily just rolled her eyes at him.

* * *

"Emily, good to see you're feeling better," Cheryl greeted as they walked into the CNU. Emily had a stash of saltines in her purse, and had eaten several for breakfast; so far, so good. 

"Thanks. Uh, do you have a minute, we need to talk to you." It was now or never, right?

"Sure…is everything okay?" She looked back and forth between them, suddenly worried.

"Peachy," Matt answered with a childish fake grin, causing Cheryl to sigh, and turn around, leading the way to her office.

"So, what's up?" She asked after they'd all taken seats in the increasingly familiar office.

"Well, we—" Emily suddenly paused, tried to swallow the need to vomit unsuccessfully. "Excuse me, I need to—" she gestured with her hand, and ran out of the office for the bathroom.

Cheryl watched Matt turn his gaze from Emily, to his feet, staring at his shoelaces. Suddenly everything began to add up for Cheryl, puking and a need to meet with her could only mean one thing.

"Oh my god, tell me you didn't." She said loudly, startling Matt, who stared at her in confusion.

"Didn't what?"

"Please, please tell me you didn't get your partner pregnant, Matt."

Matt grimaced, "you know, it doesn't specifically say anywhere in the FBI handbook that you can't have a baby with your partner?"

"Matt!" He cringed just as Emily came back in the door, and looked from him to Cheryl's very unhappy face.

"So you told her?"

"No, I guessed. How did this happen?"

Emily looked at her confused. "Uh, do you want the biology of it?"

"No. What I mean is, aren't you both familiar with various forms of contraception?" She struggled to be patient with them, but she would be on the phone for the rest of the day now, trying to explain this wonderfully blessing, and why the hell it occurred between the Bureau's star partnership.

"Um Cheryl, not a single thing they've come up with is 100 percent effective, so you know, we are that lucky one percent." Emily felt like a sixteen year-old getting scolded by the school nurse.

Cheryl shook her head, this was going to create one hell of a headache. "Can I just ask you two one last thing?"

They looked at each other and shrugged, could it really get worse?

"You are both very attractive, intelligent people, with good jobs, and prestige within your careers, basically what I'm saying is that you can have anybody, so why would you both choose the one person you shouldn't have?"

Once again, the couple exchanged looks, as if hoping the other would be able to supply that answer. Neither could, and so they simply turned back to look at Cheryl, clearly at a loss.

Outside her door, Matt grabbed Emily, and ducked into an empty workroom, something on his mind that he desperately needed to say. Cheryl's last question had triggered something in his mind, something that caused him to make an important decision. The intensity burning in his eyes surprised her, and excited her at the same time, so she sat compliantly, curious to what this was about.

"I want to marry you." He spoke quietly, hopefully so only she could hear.

"What?"

"I want to marry you." She blinked, and then held up a hand.

"Oh no, we aren't doing this. This isn't the fifties, you don't have to marry me because you got me pregnant, and damn it Matt, I don't want you to." She was not pleased with his proposal, not at all.

"You didn't listen Em, I _want_ to marry you. I'm not going to lie and say the baby has nothing to do with it, but it's not why I'm proposing." He held her hands in his, his eyes never wavering from hers.

"Really, so you're saying you would have proposed without the baby?" She looked dubious, she didn't want this, a marriage because of a baby, she wanted it because of love.

"I don't know, but damn it, I love you. And, you're having my baby, I want people to know it's not just a stupid accident. I want them to know the night we made this baby, I held you in my arms, and hoped to god, we'd last forever. Please, say you'll marry me." He watched her eyes soften, but there was still a fear in them, one he recognized. Her fear of allowing people close, but she hadn't bolted, he considered that progress.

"At least let me put a ring on your finger, we don't need to get married right away, it can be a long engagement. We can take out time." He really just wanted people to know that they weren't just fooling around, and the baby wasn't a mistake.

She bit her lip, her eyes welling up, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Sometimes it stunned her how well Matt knew her, knew her fears, her weaknesses, and didn't fault her for them.

"Yes...yes I will marry you one day." Surprising, saying that didn't really scare her.

* * *

By the end of the week, everyone in the building knew Emily was pregnant, and the news received mixed responses. There was lots of shock, excited squealing from Lia, and a few other women, endless teasing from the many of the guys on the potency of Matt's little swimmers, some heartfelt congratulations from casual acquaintances, and then there were the people who looked down their noses at the idea. These people were largely ignored. 

Within six weeks of their discovery, Matt had gotten Emily to pick a ring, and a chain to wear it on when the pregnancy made her fingers swell. That created a whole new stir at work, with the same mixed responses, including a good deal more squealing from Lia. Matt also had a new partner by then, and Emily, much to her dismay, was confined to a desk or her classroom. It was very hard for her to see someone else sitting and working beside Matt, but on the bright side, she was able to start a few more regular classes.

Emily, with the exception of puking every morning, right before dawn, felt fine, and looked no different toward the end of her third month. It was hard for either to imagine that she'd already gotten through the bulk of her first trimester. And today, she walked back and forth across her classroom with just as much energy as she'd ever had. She'd always been a big fan of the Socratic method, feeling people learned better when they had to think and teach themselves to a certain extend.

She nodded along as a young female agent explained how she'd handle the hypothetical high risk suicide she'd posed. A 35 year-old man, beautiful wife, two young children, brand new luxury cars, big house, etc, had been caught embezzling from his partners, and was facing long jail time. His solution was to hop up on the roof of his building, which was always deserted, and put a gun in his mouth.

"So, I think he would respond positively to the idea of his children having to live with his suicide, and viewing him as a coward." She watched her instructed with eager, but young, inexperienced eyes.

"Okay, but what if that just upsets him further. He tells you his kids are going to be ashamed of him, and hate him either way, he takes the safety off. What's your next move?" She paused near the young student.

"Um, I would tell him if he lives, there is always a chance for redemption, but if he kills himself, they'll never forgive him."

"I like that, keep that idea of redemption in his head. Anybody know why I like that?" She surveyed the class, and nodded to a young man with his hand raised.

"Because right now he's hopeless, if you remind him that eventually he can be redeemed, you give him hope, and if he has hope, he won't want to kill himself."

"Theoretically—" she paused, resting a hand on her abdomen, suppressing a cramp. "Theoretically yes, that should—" Another cramp, more painful than the last. She leaned against her podium, head down, eyes squeezed shut, but the pain didn't go away, it got worse.

"Agent Lehman, are you okay?" Gabby, a female agent in her forties asked.

"Yeah, I'm—owwhhh," she moaned, collapsing on the ground, breathing hard, pain ripping through her abdomen.

"Shit, someone call 911, tell them she's pregnant, and just collapsed, could be having complications!" Gabby shouted at them, running down to Emily. She had four kids, if there was one thing she knew, it was pregnancy.

Emily was curled in the fetal position clutching her abdomen, moaning and whimpering in agony, not yet noticing the blood soaking her jeans.

"Oh god, tell them she might be miscarrying!" Gabby shouted, kneeling down next to Emily. "And, someone call Lia Mathers, and get her ass over here!" Lia could contact Cheryl and Matt, and if Emily really was loosing her baby, she'd need a friend.

"Emily, you're going to be fine. We're calling an ambulance, and Matt, just keep breathing." She promised this, even as tears streaked down the negotiators face, twisted in pain, and blood just rushed out of her.

* * *

Lia walked out of the hospital room, thoroughly exhausted from worry and the struggle to get Emily to talk. Her friend was curled on her side, morphine, blood, saline, and antibiotics dripping into her, refusing to open her mouth or even look at anyone. Lia looked up to finally see a frantic Matt and Cheryl rushing down the hospital hallway. Not far behind them Frank and Duff followed. 

"Lia, what happened, Emily, is she alright, the baby?" Matt was breathing heavily, and speaking very fast, fear radiating from his eyes.

"Emily's fine…but Matt, I'm so sorry, the baby…" Her eyes welled up for her friends loss, and she couldn't finish.

"Oh god no." His fingers dug into his hair, his eyes wide as he tried to comprehend. "I need to see her."

"She's in there, it's a private room, but she won't saying anything."

"What?" Cheryl asked alarmed.

"She won't talk to the me, she won't talk to the doctors or nurses either." These same doctors and nurses said this wasn't unusual, but Lia was still very worried. Matt let his hands dropped tiredly, and slowly opened the door to the room, disappearing inside.

Emily's back was to the door, everything except her head covered by blankets, tubes coming out from underneath. He walked around the bed, and sat on the chair beside the bed. Emily flicked her eyes away, and continued staring off into space with dull, lifeless orbs. Matt surveyed their surroundings, and noticed a familiar silver band resting on the stand by the bed. He picked it up, and turned to her, running a hand over her cheek.

"Did they need you to take this off?"

She shook her head, not speaking.

"Then we should put it back on, don't you think?"

She shook her head again, burrowing further underneath the covers.

"Talk to me Emily, please. I need to hear your voice right now," he begged, tears already forming in his eyes.

She poked her head out of the blankets, eyes red, rivers running down her cheeks, and finally, she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, I don't blame you, and neither should you. There was nothing we could have done."

"No, it is. Junkies, little teenagers, other women carry babies, but…but I lost our baby." She whipped angrily at her tears, but they just continued to pour out.

"Don't do that Em, you can't blame yourself for this, any more than I can blame myself." He grabbed one of her hands, and held it delicately between his.

"It's different Matt, I was supposed to protect it and nourish it, and I didn't."

"And I was supposed to protect you, and care for you, and I didn't do a very good job did I?" It was true, he should have made her work less, made her eat less greasy take out, put more fruits and vegetables in his apartment (which she'd moved into). And, damn it, he should have been there to hold her when the worst happened.

"Not true, you've been great," she whispered, resting her hand on his face.

"Sure it is, I didn't take care of her either." She knew the her he was referring to, his high school girlfriend, who miscarried their child.

"Did it--" Emily gagged on her tears. "Did it hurt this much, then?"

"No, we didn't want the baby, and I wasn't in love with her." He was ashamed to admit it under the circumstances, but truth was, it was the best thing that could have happened to them. "It hurts so much more now, wanting our baby, and seeing it hurt you so badly."

"I'm so sorry I couldn't do it, Matt." She wept harder, her body jolting with the force.

"We couldn't do it, Em. _We_. I'm sorry too…I love you." He leaned over and kissed her.

"I love you too," she whispered back. He held up the ring to her, and she gave him her hand, accepting his proposal again. They shared a tear filled kiss, and then Emily scooted over in the bed, adjusting her tubes and wires, so he could climb on. He slid on carefully, so as not to jolt her, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She burrowed into his chest, wrapping an around his chest, and he draped one leg over her, sealing them together.

Twenty minutes later, Cheryl peeped her head in, relieved to find them cuddled together and seemingly peaceful. She closed the door quietly, ushering her companions out, allowing their friends all the time they'd need to deal with their loss. Tomorrow they would be back to check on them, and offer their sympathies. Tonight, they needed to be with the only other person who could really understand what they were feeling.

* * *

_Sorry, another sad story, but the next one is happy and humorous!_


	2. The Romance is Dying

Emily sighed tiredly, as she dumped her bag uncerimoniously on the desk in her classroom. They'd been slammed from all ends the month and a half; several negotiations, two very lame, mandatory trainings (in other states), training with Frank and Duff on new assault tactics, paperwork to accompany everything, and she had her classes to keep up with. They really hadn't had a moment to breath the last several weeks, and it was beginning to take her toll. And of course, Cheryl had to pick today to sit in on Emily's class, and critique her for the upper-ups. She practically sleep-walked to the podium, and surveyed her class. She saw most of her students present, and then there was Cheryl, who'd apparently brought Frank, and Duff and Lia, who were flirting shamelessly, all four lounging in the back. Emily resisted the urge to grumble, she and Matt hadn't had the energy to shamelessly flirt in two months. Sex sure, both were always hot for each other (to Cheryl's continuing dismay), but the romance was suffering.

Turning away, she stifled a yawn with her hand, and pulled her bag upright, beginning the search for her materials. Both her organizational skills, and class had also suffered from the seven weeks of craziness. She'd forgotten her materials more than once, and had to cover by spending the whole class telling anecdotes in the guise of examples. Pen, manual, two case files, and then her hand hit something, something fuzzy and square. Confusion clouded her eyes and twisted her face, as she yanked out a small black box, one she'd never seen before. So, maybe the romance wasn't quite dead, she mused, assuming Matt tossed the box in, a surprise gift, probably earrings was her guess; the box was the right size. She pulled it open, and it was miracle she didn't end up on the floor. A small diamond sparkled from the silver band it was set into, or was that white gold? There was beautiful etching on the sides, giving the already attractive ring, a special quality to it. Then there was the noted taped to the top of the box: 'Marry Me."

"Oh my god." She jumped slightly as her own voice startled her, coming out louder than she anticipated.

"Lehman, you alright?" A male agent called from his seat. Her back was to her class, so they had no idea what she found in her bag.

Her four friends watched her from their spot in the back; Lia and Duff had stopped flirting when Emily spoke, surprised by her exclamation. Matt had told them to sit in on her class that day, that he knew it was going to be very good. Watching Emily teach beat doing work any day, and Cheryl needed to observe her at some point, so they'd all decided today would be the day to watch. Now, they were wondering if he hadn't planned something, some surprise for his girlfriend, who was still standing in the same spot, stock still, staring at something they couldn't see. And, Matt was nowhere to be seen, which made them even more suspicious. If he wasn't shooting with HRT or at chained to his desk with paperwork, he was watching his girlfriend of a year and a half educate the eager minds of the FBI.

Suddenly she turned around, hiding the little box in her clasped hands, and started searching her class for him, head stinging wildly around. All familiar faces, but none were the one she needed, and she could only imagine by her classes worried looks, how crazed she appeared then. She swept the room, then back up to her class for one last check, before settling on her group of bewildered friends in the back row. They chose today to watch her teach? They must know something.

"Where is he?" They exchanged looks, offered her shrugs, and generally looked helpless, apparently they didn't know anything.

"Why? What did he do?" Frank was clearly amused with whatever his friend had done to unnerve his girlfriend so much.

"He...I...never mind, nobody knows where he is?" Now she was beginning to feel a little desperate. He pulls this, and then disappears, oh was he going to get it later.

"Right here." She turned abruptly to the sound of his voice, and there he was, hidden from the rest of the room by the alcove of a doorway. Arms slug across his chest, he leaned against the doorjamb, cocky smile on his face, though she could see the truth in his eyes--he was as nervous as she was, nervous that she might just turn him down.

She walked over to him, little velvet box, still clasped in her hands, and looked him straight in the eyes, with that, "are you kidding me?" look she worn the day he revealed their secret. She had disappeared to the rest of them room, who exchanged confused looks, wondering what the two negotiators were up to.

Matt eyes held the same question as that box, and when she didn't answer, he fell to one knee and took her hand. Then his mouth got in the way.

"You ever notice, this is kind of like a begging stance?" That wasn't what he intended to whisper, but at the moment, it was kind of what he was feeling. He was begging her to say yes, and not leave him looking like a fool.

Emily bit her lip, but couldn't stifle the grin, and then she started laughing at the hopeless look on Matt's face, as he realized what he said. Now, this, this was more like them, so she pulled him up off the floor, and wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering close to his ear.

"Now, how can I turn that down?"

He pulled back and stared into her eyes to see if she was serious, and she smiled, her dimples coming out fully.

"Yes, yes I will." She barely got the words out when he crashed his mouth to hers in a kiss not appropriate for the office, but about right for their current circumstances.

Of course, Emily was scared to death at the idea of commitment, but when she looked into his soft brown eyes, she found their was only one answer she really wanted to give him. She loved him even if they hadn't been together all that long, and she would get used to the idea of being his wife. She felt safe with him, knew that he'd never hurt her, and couldn't imagine ever loving someone more than she did him.

Meanwhile, growing bored and all too curious, the large crowd of spectators, led of course by the couples four closest friends, dispatched Duff to work stealth recognizance, and spy on the couple; they had to know what was going on. He climbed quietly to the bottom of the stairs, inching closer to the hidden little alcove, stopping every so often to listen, just as he been trained. Then he peered around the corner to the lip locked couple, and was decidedly disappointed; Matt and Emily being horny was nothing new. He wandered back to the class, shrugging, empty handed, no juicy gossip to offer.

"They were just making out." This confused everyone even more, they knew not to do that in office, especially with their boss in the same room, and they usually kept the PDA at home. What was going on?

Breaking the kiss, Matt pulled open the little box, and slipped the ring onto her finger, clasping their hands together. So, maybe they wouldn't get to be partners any longer, they would have something else even better. And, this they could have forever.

Breaking their second kiss, Emily brought them back to reality. "Uh, I still have a class."

"Right, I'll go find a seat." He moved to leave, when Emily stopped him.

"Oh, I don't think so, you have to help me explain this." Studying the challenge written on her face, Matt wanted to continue bantering, but she had a class.

Neither knew it, but once again, Duff had crept quietly back down the stairs toward them, and peered around the corner, eyes widening when he caught the sparkle on Emily's hand, which was resting on her hip. Not believing it for what it was, he glanced at Matt's hands, only to be surprised by the small black velvet box. He immediately retreated, and exclamation pouring from his mouth before he could stop it.

"Whoa."

Frank was getting annoyed with all the mystery, and the fact that he wasn't in on it. "Duff, what's going on?"

"Uh, Lehman's not as smart as we thought...she just agreed to marry him." He was still processing his discovery, as he announced the engagement, and finally earning the undivided attention of the couple. His audience was now staring at with bug eyes, and jaws somewhere near the floor, that nobody was expecting.

"Seriously?" Frank wasn't sure if he should believe it.

"Yep," Matt sighed, dragging a slightly pink Emily with him, over to the center of the room, by Duff. Emily held up the sparkling room as her only comment.

"Man, this is the best place you could think of to propose?" Frank asked chuckling, the first to absorb the shock.

"Well, I've had the ring a couple months, and we've been too busy for me to plan something big," Matt explained shifting uncomfortably, and adding in a low mumble, "I didn't want to wait anymore."

"Can I see you two in my office for a moment?" Cheryl managed to get her eyes back in her head, and realize their engagement had other implications with it. She rose from the seat after watching the pair nod, and walked out the door, shaking her head. Matt and Emily followed, suddenly a overwhelmed with the stoplight, and Frank, Duff, and Lia followed after them.

Cheryl held open the door to her office, blank expression on her face, making them nervous, before informing their small entourage that they'd have to wait. She fell into her chair, and regarded them.

"So...congratulations." Cheryl was smiling, but her tone hinted that something else was coming.

"Thank you," Emily answered, relaxing, it was only Cheryl after all.

"You have to split us now." Matt didn't ask it as a question, this was something he'd wrestled with.

"Yes, I won't do it immediately, not until I find new partners for you. So, for now, you can continue to work together, and I'll take my time arranging it, but eventually, I'll have to split you up." Cheryl clearly wasn't thrilled with it, but regulations were regulations for a reason.

Matt shrugged. "Well worth it." Emily squeezed his hand, she agreed.

"Now, open that door for our friends, and let's see that ring." Emily held out her left hand, while Matt got the door.

"So, how didn't any of us see this coming?" Frank wondered allowed.

"Because we all figured Emily would dump his sorry ass," Duff laughed.

"Thanks for having so much faith in me," Matt told them sarcastically.

"Well, it's a beautiful ring, you have good taste Matt." Cheryl released Emily handed, and smiled at the couple.

"Some of that credit needs to go to Lia."

"Wait a minute, Lia new about this?" Emily asked incredulously, as she and three others turned to stare at the tech.

"Yes, I did, someone needed to help him pick a ring." Hands on her hips, she spoke matter-of-factly.

"And you didn't tell me!" Duff whined at her.

"No, you would have told Frank and Cheryl, and somebody would have overheard and spoiled Matt's little surprise."

"Little surprise, who are you kidding?"

"Well, they've been dating for what, a year and a half? Generally, if you don't break up, you get married, Frank," Lia pointed out.

"Yeah, but these two? I figured they'd never get hitched just so they could stay partners." He made a good point, and all of them knew it. That was actually what was so surprising, that they would give up working together to be together.

"Like I told Cheryl, it's worth it."

"Matt, you realize, you're never going to have sex with another woman again, right?"

Matt shot a look at Emily, and smiled. "I don't need to."

"Really?" Frank and Duff were snickering, and Cheryl and Lia wore amused expressions, while Emily had once again gone a light shade of pink.

"Matt, I'm grateful that you didn't announce that over the radio, but do you really need to share everything?" She wore an expression of strained patience, earning more laughter.

"Alright," she finally said, "I still have a class to teach."

"Good, go, Sloan's tonight for celebratory drinks?" Cheryl asked, getting nods all around.

Everybody dispersed to their separate destinations, though Emily made a point to drag Matt with her. If she had to spend the next hour and a half getting curious stares, so did he, considering he was the cause.

"Okay, sorry for the delay today everyone. Today, I like to discuss HTs that have snapped, the ones who don't use any planning, just have a mental break of sorts and pick up a gun." She stood behind her podium, while Matt got the computer projection system set up for her.

"Wait a minute, are you kidding?"

"Is there a problem, Mark?" Emily asked patiently.

"Yes, you can't just pretend that all didn't just happen."

"Exactly," another guy agreed, "aren't you happy?"

"I'm very happy, what's your point?" She wasn't liking this conversation.

"Well, we want to see that you're happy," a third guy answered.

"Yeah, give us a smooch," the second guy suggested.

"I'll take that, just something to acknowledge to us that it happened." He wrapped it in logic, but just really wanted to see if she'd do it, or smack him first.

Emily studied them for a moment, before turning away and grabbing Matt's face, pressing a very passionate, intense kiss to his lips. Matt wasn't surprised for very long, and gave as good as he got, resulting in a very steamy kiss for her very immature class. She broke it and gave him a last peck on the lips.

"Can we move on and learn crisis negotiation now?"

* * *

_Thank you for reading, and please review!_


	3. Can't Give You Everything

_This one is a little graphic, you've been warned._ _Otherwise, enjoy the story and please review!_

* * *

Emily jiggled the key in door lock, encouraging it to keep working just another couple of days. It worked again, as it had for the last four months, when she and Matt decided they needed a new lock, but just hadn't gotten around to getting it yet. She dumped her purse on the little table by the door, and meandered toward the bedroom. Something felt different in the apartment, she wasn't sure what, but something was definitely off. The phone on the night table was unplugged from the wall, much like the one in the living room had been, and Matt's cell phone was sitting on the bed, it's battery yanked out beside it. Maybe more surprising, the bed was actually made, and there were no clothes in sight; Matt had cleaned up.

She continued toward the bathroom, where she heard the shower going, and pulled open the door. Three candles burned pleasantly on the counter, bathing the room in warm light, and filling it with a clean, musky ocean smell. So this was what he needed to leave early to do? Cheryl let him leave early for this, it wasn't even an anniversary? Not that she was complaining by any means, she would be very happy coming home to this any day. Deciding pondering it further wasn't worth delaying joining the shadowy figure behind the shower curtain, Emily stripped down.

The hot spray wasn't completely blocked by his body as she climbed in behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, and kissing her way along his neck. He turned toward her, his face holding a small smile, his eyes lit with a passion for her, a desire just for her. He kissed her delicately, softly at first, but then it was if he couldn't hold it in any longer, and the kiss become much stronger, as he wrapped his arms around her. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around him, as he pressed her against the back wall, Deepening a kiss past even his expectations.

Matt had been aching for her all day, even though he'd had her the night before, twice. Today was something special, something he'd taken his time planning, and the excitement of that made the passion he felt for her almost unbearable. He tried to take it slow, allowing his hands to roam her body, his lips kissing along her collarbone, his eyes searching her and finding the same passion he felt burning inside. When he entered her, it began much like the kiss, slow and gentle, but again he just couldn't wait, and Emily made it pretty obvious she didn't want to. Their breathing grew heavy and rapid, till it was almost gasping when they finally hit climax, and settled against each other, finally brought back to Earth and conscious again of the spray hitting their bodies.

Once they both caught their breath, they got down to what the business of a shower is supposed to be, giggling and kissing their way the washing. Thirty minutes later they tumbled out, once again spent and breathless, unable to wait for the bedroom for their second go. It was just that good between them. Matt wrapped a towel around his waist, and tossed a wicked grin Emily's direction. He couldn't resist when he saw her standing their so calmly, fastening the towel around her chest. He swept her into his arms, and carried her giggling and half-protesting into the bedroom, where he'd left another surprise waiting. After setting his girlfriend on the bed, Matt grabbed a bottle from the night table. Emily began to sit up, but he stopped her.

"Just relax," he told her softly, gesturing for her to roll onto her stomach. With a raised eyebrow, and a dimpled grin, she complied, assuming the bottle was massage oil.

Matt squirted the liquid onto his hands and rubbed them together, smiling as it responded just as the bottle promised. He began to gently work his hands over her back and shoulders.

Emily gasped and moaned in surprise and pleasure, as Matt's hand began to work over her body, her flesh growing warm and tingling from the oil. Matt grinned, very pleased with himself; he'd made a good decision with the special massage oil-lubricant product. He continued working his hands over her gently, at some point running his hands over her body more than massaging it. He loved to touch her, to feel her soft skin beneath his hands, and the sheen from the massage oil was sexier than any bimbo pushing her breasts at the camera in Playboy.

Much as she was enjoying this, Emily decided she couldn't have all the fun, and rolled over, pulling him closer to her. She pressed her lips to his, and locked her legs around him, rolling them both over, holding the kiss a while longer, before breaking it, and straddling him. She grinned coyly, and motioned him to roll onto his stomach, moving to grab the bottle. Matt moaned happily as Emily worked her fingers into his muscles, and ran her hands along his body. Emily breathed heavily, feeling a quiver inside her; his pleasured moaning was getting _her _off.

After a while, he grabbed her and began kissing her again, running his hands along her hips, grabbing her butt. He reached blindly for the bottle again, squirted some more liquid on his fingers, and began working them inside her. Emily gasped and began breathing heavily, arching her back, as Matt's breath quickened, and his blood surged south. At the right moment, he entered and began thrusting, both of their breath rapid and erratic, hearts pounding out of control, sweat pouring off them. Then they hit peak, and the screams they emitted were loud enough to piss off any neighbors at home.

Collapsed against each other, in the sheets, sticky with the oil, their breathing slowly evened out, heart-rates returned to a normal speed. Both pairs of eyes fluttered closed, and they slept for nearly an hour, before waking hungry for each other again. Again, their neighbors either weren't home, and proved themselves to be very understanding, because their screams must have echoed through the building.

"If we do that one more time, I won't be able to walk tomorrow," Emily breathed, resting her head against Matt's chest.

"Don't worry, Cheryl gave us off tomorrow." He smiled and kissed her head. It was a Friday, but he'd negotiated with Cheryl.

Emily suddenly pushed herself up, and looked down at him. "Okay, Cheryl let you off early today, gave us both off early tomorrow, and I come home to a few chapters out of one of those bodice-ripper novels, what's going on?"

He brushed a piece of hair behind her ears, eyes burning into hers. "Hang on a second." He hopped out of the bed, and disappeared for a moment, before returning back to the bedroom, on hand clutched around something. He climbed back on the bed, stowing his possession a moment, away from her eyes. He sat facing her, and took her hands in his, placing a delicate kiss to her lips, and resting his forehead against hers for a minute.

"Four years ago today, we were sent on our first field assignment together. The woman who took her abusive husband and kids hostage, you were primary. I listened to you talk to that woman like you actually felt what she went through, and then I watched you talk to her two little kids until social services came. Their mother was arrested on federal charges, their father on state assault charges, but everyone was alive. You went into the bus, and collapsed on the couch in the back, this tired smile on your face. I decided then not to tell you that I was afraid of dogs."

"So this is what…fourth anniversary of the day you decided that you liked me?" She was amused and touched, but still felt like there had to more; he'd never mentioned that day specifically to her before.

"Yes, sort of. I decided it would be a good day to tell you that I love you. I want to tell you that these last three years together have been…indescribable. I didn't think I could love somebody this much, that I could spend so much time with you during the day, and still be dying to get you home at the end of the day, so I can kiss you, and touch you. I want this forever Emily. I want to wake up with you everyday until I die, and I want to go to sleep with you in my arms every night. I want to make a life with you, I want to see glow with my baby inside you, and I want to get up in the middle of the night with you to the sound of crying. What I want to tell you is that I want to marry you…so Em, will you marry me?" He pulled the little treasure he'd grabbed, and opened the box holding the ring out to her.

Emily stared at him wide-eyed, chest heaving. As he spoke, and she began to realize what was going on, her breathing became heavy with excitement. Her eyes pricked with tears, and she wanted to say yes the moment he said he wanted this forever. But then he said the one thing that changed everything for her, and her eyes pricked with another sort of tears, and her stomach churned sickly. With her head down, Emily shot toward the bathroom, and locked the door, leaning against it, struggling to breathe. Her clothes were still on the floor, and she gathered them quickly, dressing before throwing the door open.

Matt was standing there, looking worried, scared and heart-broken. Her head down staring at the floor, she shook it miserably, trying to hold back the tears burning her throat.

"I'm sorry, I have to go." And with that, she took off, out the door, leaving Matt with a diamond ring in his hand, and a proverbial knife in his heart.

* * *

Lia struggled to pull Duff off of her at the sound of the doorbell being pressed frantically. It was growing late, nearly nine o'clock, generally too late for random visitors, and she decided, as she pushed her half naked boyfriend back onto the bed, whoever it was better have a damned good reason. Duff groaned, wanting nothing more than to get Lia's clothes off, but remained flopped on the bed. Lia shot him an apologetic look, and hurried for the door.

"Oh my god," she breathed at the site of her best friend with tears streaming down her cheeks, hands shaking. "Emily, what happened? Is Matt okay?"

She guided her friend in the door, and to the couch, just as Duff came out, worried after hearing Lia.

"Shit, what happened?" Duff was only in boxers.

"Oh god, I didn't even realize, I'm sorry, maybe I should--" Emily looked mortified at her friends, realizing what she'd interrupted.

"No, you shouldn't. Now tell me what happened." When she wanted to be, Lia was very commanding.

"I'll go make some coffee." Duff sensed Emily would probably be more comfortable talking to just Lia about whatever was going on, so he left for the kitchen.

Lia watched him leave, mouthing a silent 'thank you'. "So?"

"I got home today, and Matt had this wonderful evening set up, and it was great, but then, he...he asked me to marry him."

"Wow, that's…wait, you don't want to?" Lia was about to say it was great, but if it was, Emily wouldn't be sitting on her couch sobbing.

"No! No, I do, so much, but, but I can't. Remember what I told you months ago? I can't." Suddenly, Lia realized what was upsetting her friend so much, and it wasn't something she could fix.

"So, you never told him?"

"No, I meant to, but I didn't even try. I didn't, I don't want to lose him." Head in her hands, Emily stared dejectedly at the ground, damn it.

"Em, you kind of have to at this point. Don't you think?"

Emily nodded. "But, it will be over then, Lia. He made what he wants pretty clear, and he can't get that from me."

"There's other ways Emily. Matt loves you, he might surprise you." She squeezed her friend's hand, and they sat there a while longer talking, until Lia told her to crash in her guestroom.

"Thanks, I don't think I could face him right now, after how I left. He probably hates me." Lia was about to comment when the phone went off, screaming through the apartment.

"Hello?" She grabbed it quickly.

"Lia, is Emily there with you? She left almost two hours ago, and hasn't come back." Matt's stressed voice came over the line.

"Yeah, she here, you can stop worrying."

"Oh thank god. Is she okay? She just kind of took off, and I don't know why. I think she was crying." It was clear he was a lot more worried for her, than he mad or hurt.

"She's alright, yeah. She'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Lia turned to Emily for confirmation, and the negotiator nodded.

"Alright, just tell her that I love her, and I don't know what's going on, but whatever it is, we can work it out," he pled, his perfect night shot to hell.

"Will do. Goodnight Matt." Lia hung up and looked at Emily.

"He doesn't hate you. He asked me to tell you that he loves you, and he doesn't know what's going on, but whatever it is you can work it out."

Emily nodded slowly, eyes filling up again. God, what was wrong with her tonight, why was she such a damned wreck? Then she shook her abruptly. Matt deserved better than what she was putting him through tonight.

"Thank you Lia, but I have to go home and see him. I need to talk to him." Lia nodded, secretly rejoicing inside; by tomorrow morning, they better be engaged.

"Are you okay to get there?"

"Yeah, I took a cab here, I'll take another home."

"Just call when it's all said and done, and let me everything's fine, alright?" With that, the negotiator hugged her friend, and left quickly.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Duff walked back into the living room, completely bewildered.

"Reader's Digest version, Matt and Emily are getting engaged. Long version, it's not as simple as you'd think." Lia sighed, thanking god, her relationship with Duff was always a lot simpler than her friends'.

"Wow, that's good news…but, then why was Emily crying?" Lia grabbed his hand, and made for the kitchen, it was going to be a long night.

* * *

Once again, Emily jiggled her key in the lock until it gave, and pushed the door open, just as Matt came rushing out of the bedroom. She closed the door, and regarded him, a guilty little piece of her heart suffering from having run off and left him to worry. Matt seemed to forgive her quickly, because he quickly closed the distance between them, and held her tightly, almost afraid she'd disappear again.

"I'm sorry, Matt," she whispered against his neck.

"What's going on Em? Just give me the truth, if you don't want to marry me, just say it." He pushed back a little, eyes filled with hurt at the idea.

"No, it's not that. I want to marry you, and be with you forever, I want all those things you described, but I can't give you all of it." She felt tears spring to her eyes again, and breathed in deeply to keep from breaking down.

"What do you mean? What can't you give me?" Matt was so confused now, he just watched her dumbfounded, waiting for further explanation.

"That beautiful image you have in your head, of me carrying our baby? I can't give that to you…I can't give you a baby."

"You can't have children?" He was confused by this, never had he even thought to wonder if Emily would be able to have children.

She shook her head, eyes facing to the ground. "I got one of those old IUDs when I was a teenager, had it all through college. On day I go for my yearly exam, and the doctor tells me she has to take it out, they're yanking them from the market. She does, and tells me my uterus is covered with scar tissue, that I'll never be able to carry a baby." Tears were trickling down her face now, as she waited for him to talk.

Matt didn't say anything, he was still trying to process what she said, and wondering why she never told him before now.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you, but I was afraid. I don't want to lose you. I love you, Matt, but I can't give you everything you want. I'm so sorry." She fell onto the couch, arms wrapped around herself, head down. When the doctor told her, she'd been upset, but she'd gotten over it. She didn't trust people enough to have many relationships, and they were hard enough. She didn't really want kids anyway. But, when you fall in love, everything changes, and you find yourself imaging marriage, a home, domestic bliss, and a little boy with his dark hair and brown eyes. For Emily, you also realize with crushing disappointment, you'll never have that.

Matt fell onto the couch beside her, stunned and saddened by her confession, but not angry, and certainly not any less in love with her. He brought her face up to face his, and studied her eyes, willing her to search his for any sign his commitment had wavered.

"I won't tell you it doesn't matter, that it doesn't hurt that we won't get that experience, but Em, I love you, and I want to marry you. Not your uterus."

She managed a small smile at that. "Can you really live with that, Matt? You need to be really sure, because I don't want you to end up resenting me years from now."

"I'm sure. One day, if we want, we could adopt or get a surrogate, there are other ways to have a baby. I can live with it Emily, but I can't live not having you. Can I ask you again?" Her eyes were still tear-filled, but now at his words, so she nodded.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes, I love you so much." She wrapped her arms around him, and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I love you too."


	4. Bliss in Simplicity

"Six across ifarmin," Emily's words were garbled by a yawn, causing her boyfriend of almost three years to chuckle.

"I think I missed that." They were curled together on the couch they shared, in the apartment they'd been sharing for a year and a half, working on a crossword puzzle from the L.A. Times.

"I said six across is vermin." She pointed out the six letter space, with only the 'e' and the 'n' filled in from other words.

"Six across, rodents…makes sense. And that means nine down is bribe." He nodded his head, and filled in the appropriate blanks in his less than neat print.

"I need more wine." She pecked him on the cheek, and grabbed both their glasses, heading off to the still mostly full bottle on the kitchen counter.

It was late, after nine, but adrenaline still pumped through their veins. Their negotiation earlier was successful, if barely; he didn't want to give himself up, and sent a few bullets flying their way. But, Frank and Duff breached while the HT was distracted by the two negotiators, and they took him down alive. Cheryl gave them a pat on the back, and sent them all home, declaring it a job well done, though they knew they'd be starting the paperwork tomorrow morning. They were still partners, barely. Cheryl knew they were living together, and after a harsh warning, allowed them to remain together. The rest of the Bureau didn't have a clue though, as Emily's mail was now going to a post office box, so they had no reason to suspect.

Once they got home, blood still coursing through their veins like devil's fire, their bodies sweaty from the rush, they made for the shower. With the water rushing down upon them, they made love against the tiled wall, and it was rough and impassioned. Once they were out of the shower, and toweled off, they fell into bed and made love again. But, this time it was slower and gentle, though this isn't to say it wasn't hot, because it was. It wasn't fueled with lust, but love, and they soon curled together on the bed for a quick catnap.

Emily woke up first, threw on pajama pants and one of Matt's t-shirts, and went to ransack the kitchen for something to make for dinner. Each had dishes they could make well, but neither ever went grocery shopping, so their kitchen was often empty. Still she managed to pull some chicken from the freezer, which was a good start. This was followed by an onion that hadn't begun to sprout yet, two stray cloves of garlic, some broccoli that was definitely on the verge, and the block of parmesan cheese that never seemed to shrink, no matter how often they used it. And, luckily there was still a box of penne hiding on the shadows of one of the empty cabinets.

Matt's nose sent the alert down to his stomach as the food began to cook, and set it off grumbling sorely, waking him. He found Emily at the stove, shifting the contents of a frying pan around with a wooden spoon, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning his chin on her shoulder. She tilted her head to kiss him, breaking it off before it could get really deep, and cause her to forget about the food, which would have undoubtedly burned. It was after they'd finished eating that Matt pulled out the crossword, and invited her to cuddle with him, both still sipping their wine.

Emily returned with their refilled glasses, and resumed her position, curled against his chest. It was almost strange for both of them to be so comfortable, so happy together, to have found such a deep trust in each other. It hadn't been easy, neither was really very good at opening up to other people, but in a lot of ways, it wasn't hard either. Emily had found it especially difficult to keep the relationship moving forward, afraid if she got too close, the floor would fall out from underneath her, and she'd be forced to put herself back together. Matt had his own struggles with being overprotective, because he was so scared to lose her, like he'd lost his mother- no warning, no reason, no way to cope.

Six months ago, he finally got brave enough to mention the idea of marriage to Emily, test the waters a little. Emily's eye had widened, her mouth fell open, and then she took off to the bathroom, struggling to breathe. She was not ready for that, she thought he could tell; he hoped she was, and for once in his life knew what he wanted. When she finally came out, they played it down, Emily playfully teasing that they wouldn't get to rub against each other or play footsy in their cubicle, Matt pretending being her partner meant more to him than being her husband. He hadn't revisited the issue since, hoping she'd give some indication when she was ready for that step.

Emily swallowed her sip, and pointed to a blank space, "and Italian roasted pepper is pimento, seven letters it fits."

"Oh good, that means I was right with this one, and there's only two letters missing from this one. Uh, what kind of sword did Scottish clans use? B-R-something-A-D. Broad?" Who the hell was supposed to know this crap anyway?

"Sounds right to me, I don't really know history." Emily was shrugging as the phone next to them starting screaming.

"Hello?"

"Hey cousin, how's it hanging?" A jovial voice answered on the other end, Matt's cousin John.

"Hey, it's good, real good. You?"

"Can't complain, enjoyed the company of a yoga instructor last night, and she brought a friend, who's got a fetish for fur cuffs. It doesn't get better than that man." John couldn't be given the distinction of being called a ladies-man, or a bachelor--he was simply a slut.

"John, you're almost forty, you know you can't do that much longer right?" Matt rolled his eyes, and could feel Emily giggle against him; she knew all about his cousin, and could only imagine his latest conquest.

"Matt man, don't rain on my parade. That's what they have Viagra for anyway."

"I wasn't referring to that actually. More that these young girls aren't going to want to look at your ugly face soon."

"Aww, that's mean, and they aren't that young."

"Whatever, you been doing anything else lately?"

"A kindergarten teacher on Wednesday." Matt rolled his eyes heavenward, that wasn't what he had in mind.

"Real nice John."

"What? She was a babe, and speaking of babes, how's Emily?" John had only met his cousin's girlfriend a few times, but knew they were happy together, and gave Matt his hotness approval.

"Good, with me right now actually," he answered, smiling at the woman in question, who was grinning at his end of the conversation as she studied the crossword puzzle.

"Of course she is, you never leave her side," John groaned, as far as he was concerned his once wild and fun cousin was practically married.

"You say that like it's a bad thing…why would I need to?" Matt rolled his eyes, he would take what he had with Emily any day, over screwing the whole 49ers cheering squad.

"I don't know, change of pace? New face to look at? You don't get bored?"

"What? No, I can't imagine ever being bored with her in my life." The idea of getting bored with Emily had never crossed his mind, why would it, he'd never been happier in his life.

Emily grinned and bit her lip self-consciously, suddenly feeling like maybe she shouldn't be hearing this conversation, which so obviously had become about her. She pulled the pen from his hand, pretending she wasn't listening, and filled in another space on the puzzle.

"You sound like such a sap man, actually you sound like a chick."

"Real nice John, you know you should try monogamy someday, you might find you like it." That was about as likely as a snowman enjoying a vacation in Hell.

"Sure, you keep dreaming man, but I gotta go; there's a 20 year-old stripper waiting for me."

"Enjoy," Matt said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he hung up the phone.

"How's your cousin?" Emily filled in another word.

"A man-whore as usual." Matt swiped the pen back from her, and captured her lips when she looked up to glare at him. She giggled into his mouth, kissing him back, while trying blindly to get the pen back. The struggled continued until they broke for oxygen's sake, Matt still holding the pen in his hand. Emily settled back against his side, draping her arm across his waist. They resumed the crossword, much as they had before John called, filling several more blanks in.

"Let's get married," Emily blurted nervously, teeth finding their way back to her lip after only a brief break while she spoke.

Matt nearly dropped the pen in his shock, turning look at her with wide shocked eyes. "What?"

Emily looked at him, and stated with more determination, "Let's get married."

"Really? You're really ready for this?" It's not that he didn't believe her, he just didn't quite believe his ears; she'd been terrified of the idea six months ago.

"Yes, I am. I love you, I want to marry you, I want to sit with you like this forever." As he looked into her eyes, he saw a certainty there that he'd never seen before, and he smiled.

"Yes, I will marry you." Emily grinned both happy and amused; he'd just accepted her odd proposal.

* * *

_I wanted to put at least one in here where Emily did the proposing, as unlikely as that might be with them. Thanks for reading, one more to go! Please review!_


	5. On a Bed of Roses

Emily yawned, walking into the CNU after her last class for the day, and noting that everybody still seemed to be hanging around. It had been an average run of the mill day, blessedly. There was lots of paperwork to finish, she had two classes, and in the afternoon, two LAPD detectives came in, looking for a consult on a fugitive, who was proving allusive. But, that's it, nice and slow, exactly what she wanted for the day. Of course, now that she thought that, inevitably some prick would feel the need to whip out a gun, and scare the piss out of some hostages.

As she got closer to the rows of cubicles, something began to seem slightly off to her. Most people were still there, when usually they'd all be racing out the door, if that hadn't left already. Unless they got called to a crisis, everybody left as soon as it hit five o'clock, but everybody was standing and talking to friends by their cubicles, some even looked to be whispering. Even more unnerving, as she walked past, people seemed to be looking at her, and like a bunch of school kids, turning to whisper to their friends. Oh god, she suddenly thought, had Matt gone and accidentally announced something else about them? She shook her head--that was all she needed to ruin her nice quiet evening. Then she got to their cubicle.

Roses. Dozens upon dozens of red and white roses were literally strewn all over the cubicle, covering just about every surface. Every inch of their desks not covered by something else, was taken up by a vase, and loose flowers covered everything else that was flat, including the chairs and the floor. Emily's eyes were opened wide, taking it all in, a breath caught in her throat, though she didn't realize it.

"Oh my god," she uttered, not taking her eyes off the flowers.

"Last night must have been one hell of a night, Lehman," Frank grinned, though he knew what was really going on.

She finally saw the white envelope resting against a vase in the desk space she generally used. She let her bag drop, and picked the envelope up, pulling out a sheet of paper with a number, and a plastic hotel room key. She recognized as not to the hotel across the street, where she'd spent many of her lunch hours, but to a very expensive luxury hotel down the block. Obviously, this was all orchestrated by Matt, but she couldn't fathom what he had planned. Did he expect her over there now? She looked around--was he there right now, waiting for her?

She finally looked up from the keycard to see Cheryl standing just outside the cubicle, looking very amused about something.

"You look like your brain just shorted out, do I need to call EMS?" Cheryl watched, trying not to laugh, as the usually very eloquent negotiator shook her head slowly, eyes still wide.

"Uh, I took you and Matt off the on call list for tonight, so go and do whatever you need to do." She nodded toward the card in Emily's hands, growing a little worried now by the negotiator's silence.

"Oh...uh thanks." Still looking quite shell-shocked, she turned and walked out of the CNU.

* * *

She walked to the hotel elevators without bothering to go to the desk, and hit the button for four, waiting anxiously as it rushed upward. It was a massive place, decked out in all the gaudy slender the wealthiest classes in society demand of their surroundings--large dangling crystal chandeliers, decorative antique furniture made from dark woods, marble everywhere you looked, and heavily detailed paneling on the walls. Emily began to feel a bit out of place in her jeans and t-shirt, especially with the semi-auto nine round, and badge hanging from her belt. One look at that gun, and the 'sensitive' clientele would be in a frenzy; she smiled at the thought. Checking the number on the paper, she walked down the hallway, searching for the right door, stopping in front of it. She breathed deeply a few times, before sliding the key in, and watching the little light go green. 

As soon as she opened the door, there were rose petals at her feet, lightly sprinkled in a trail, which her eyes followed to the bedroom. Her feet were slower to move, as she looked around at the marble-toped mini-bar, small living room with a a couch, loveseat, chair, and very polished desk, and the balcony it looked out to. She could only imagine what the bathroom looked like. Shaking herself out of her momentary stupor, she followed the roses to a set of French doors, and gently pressed down the handle, pushing door gently in to see the bedroom. And finally, there was Matt, watching her with a surprising nervousness in his eyes.

"So how many florists did you buy out?" She smiled walking up to him, noting the sheer volume of rose petals on the large, plush bed.

"Only two, one for the petals, one for the actual flowers." When she got close enough, he swept her into his arms, and kissed her slowly, but deeply, and just held her close a few minutes, before backing up.

Emily watched him reach in his pocket and grab something, before falling to one knee, and then it hit her like she was a speed bump in the middle of a race track. Matt was proposing.

Matt took his lover's hands nervously in his own, swallowing the thick lump in his throat.

"I can't promise you that we'll be together forever. I can't promise you that at some point down the line we won't get tired of each other, and want to call it quits. And, I can't promise that it will ever be perfect. But, right now, today, I can promise you that I love you, that I can't imagine not being in love with you. I promise that I will try to make you happy and give you everything you deserve. And, I promise that when it gets hard I won't run, I'll fight for you. Emily, these last two years together...I want that to be a lifetime. Will you marry me?" He opened the box, nearly dropping it, his sweat-covered hands were shaking so badly.

Emily stood silently for several minutes, her heart beating wildly in her chest, like a frantic bird stuck in a cage. She could feel it pulse in her temples, and down to her fingertips. Should she have expected this? Sure, they'd been together a while, but marriage hadn't really occurred to her...was that bad? Did she want to be Matt's wife? Just saying that made her feel old, but then, she thought about everything he said. Waking up in his arms everyday for the next few decades? Going home to him every night, having someone there that understood her so well, who knew her past and didn't judge her? Someone who she loved, and as he said, couldn't imagine not being in love with?

As these thoughts were running through her head, Matt began to grow more and more nervous, and more convinced she was gearing up to say no. As Matt rose from the floor, Emily suddenly realized she hadn't spoken for several minutes, and rather than speak at that moment, as she seemed incapable, she settled for another sort of response. She jumped into his arms, suctioning her lips to his, and wrapping her legs around his waist. Matt momentarily forgot the ring, as his hands grabbed his fiancé instead; the box when tumbling to the ground, causing the couple to break their kiss.

"I'm guessing that's a yes?" Matt asked breathlessly, reaching down for the box.

"Yes. I love you, I want to marry you," she told him, looking into his eyes. Matt slipped the white gold diamond ring on her finger, and they embraced each other, foreheads touching, both still trying to catch their breath. Emily suddenly grinned.

"Do you know what I really want, right the moment?"

"Not a clue." Matt answered, sensing she was being playful.

"I want to put that bed," she nodded to the king-sized bed next to them, "to some damn good use."

"I like the way you think," his words were nearly lost in a mumble as he joined their lips again, and they fell onto the bed, rose petals flying everywhere.

* * *

They not only put to use the bed, making love in the velvety soft flower petals, but also the jaccuzi tub, making love again in the rumble of the bubbles. Then they simply laid together in the hot water, sipping the bottle of Champaign Matt had room service bring up. They didn't talk about wedding dates, churches or gardens decorated in white garland and pretty flowers, or Maids of Honor or Best Men. Actually planning was in the distance for them, they were in no rush, but simply wanted to enjoy this new step they taken in their relationship. It was monumental for both of them, as not only were they both admitting that they loved each other enough to give up being partners, but also that they trusted each other, which wasn't easy for either of them. 

So it was, the newly engaged couple walked into the CNU earlier than usual the next morning, Matt settling for resting his hand on the small of her back, though aching to do more. And, he wasn't alone in that, Emily had a nagging desire to pull him into the nearest closet and have her way with him. But, they remained as professional as ever, reaching into their desk drawers to pull out clean clothes; keeping a set of clothing at work was one of the first things crisis negotiators learn.

"What happened to all the roses?" Emily wondered allowed; instead of the mounds of flowers that had been there last night, there were only a few vases filled with the roses.

"Oh, I told Cheryl to have everybody take some after you saw them. I figured you didn't have the desk space for twelve dozen roses." He grinned and kissed her.

"Did Cheryl know what you were planning?"

"Yeah, I had to give her a good excuse why we couldn't be on call last night. And, Frank, Duff, and Lia know, I needed help picking out the ring." Matt offered her a sheepish smile.

"Oh, if _that's_ all," she teased. He shrugged self-deprecatingly, and laid his hand on the small of her back, as they walked toward the bathrooms.

By the time they returned in their clean clothes, most of their coworkers had arrived, and were standing near their cubicle, waiting with curious little smiles. Half were betting Matt screwed-up on a monumental scale and the roses were his desperate apology, some thought it might be an anniversary, others had decided that Emily was pregnant and not handling it well, and way in the back if their minds, a few contemplated an engagement. Though none really thought that would happen; they weren't the type.

"Good Morning everyone," Emily greeted them wearily, pretending not to be bothered as she sat at her desk.

"Did we forget a meeting or something?" Matt half-groaned. He had to choose the big, flamboyant route didn't he? Now, they'd never get a moment's peace.

"Don't play dumb Flannery, we've all got money riding on this. Who's the chick?" Eric Norman demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Matt was thoroughly confused.

"Who's the chick you cheated on Emily with?" He asked, as if it were obvious. Emily turned to Matt, eyebrows raised, looking almost amused. Matt looked kind of horrified.

"I didn't cheat on Emily! Why would you think that?"

"Relax man, just figured you must have done something really bad to need all those roses." Eric held his hands up defensively.

"The roses weren't an apology." He turned to Emily, his eyes asking permission to announce their engagement, she reluctantly agreed; they couldn't really avoid it now, even if they wanted to. "I asked Emily to marry me last night."

Eyes widened at first, but soon big smiles appeared on the faces in the small crowd.

"And she said?" Frank asked, joining the crowd with a smug smile on his face. Still staring at her computer screen, Emily held up her left hand, diamond sparkling.

Their small crowd of nosy coworkers let out a hearty cheer, and Emily turned to give them her attention, figuring the inquisition couldn't be over yet.

"Nice to see you're all being so productive," Cheryl rolled her eyes at her subordinates as she entered the CNU. "I guess that cheering means I have to restructure the CNU?"

"No rush," Emily grinned nervously, holding up her ringed hand again, for Cheryl to see.

Cheryl took her hand and studied the ring. "Very pretty. Congratulations."

"Thanks…so are we benched until you find us new partners?" Happy as he was at that moment, Matt did not want to sit on desk duty for the next few weeks, or however long it took.

"I don't see your relationship interfering now anymore than it did yesterday, so as far as I'm concerned, I still have the best pairing of negotiators in the FBI, and I intend to use you. Enjoy it while you still can." Cheryl smiled at them, happy as a clam for her two friends, but still a little disappointed she'd have to break up such a great partnership.

"Hey, so who had an engagement?" Eric yelled to the crowd, disrupting the special moment.

"That was me." Marcda Higgins pushed through the crowd, holding her hand out for the winnings. She was a secretary for the CNU, and apparently a perceptive one.

"The office pool got up to 523 dollars. Enjoy Marcda." Gabe Johnson of HRT handed off the wad of money.

"Damn, you people spent that much on guessing on our relationship?" Emily half asked them, half chastised them.

"I should have thrown in a guess, could have paid for all these roses." Matt twirled a red rose in his hand, in disbelief. The crowd was silent until Frank interjected, loudly.

"So, how's about we take the couple for a round of drinks at Sloan's tonight to celebrate!"

* * *

_A very happy end to this series. Thank you for reading and following these stories, and special thanks to those who reviewed!_


End file.
